Find Your Own Way Back Home
by TheOtherHalfBloodPrince
Summary: "She has never believed in the supernatural. She has always looked for tangible answers, but, in hearing this, Kate Beckett is starting to believe." This is the sequel to The Ballad of the Dead. Read that one first. Rated T for language and violence.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: The Incarceration of Sara Priest

Waiting to identify Sara as my captor is exasperating. The ordeal is filled with awkward silence. The officer has been asking me questions for thirty minutes. The scratch of his pen follows each of my curt answers to his intrusive questions.

"Are you sure that Sara Priest is the one who kidnapped you?" the officer's robotic monotone asks the question he should have opened with. He looks up at me, ready to write down my answer.

"Yes," I spin my ring around my finger, trying anything to escape the boredom.

"I just need you to sign her, and you can go," he holds a clipboard and a pen out to me. I scribble my name on the dotted line and eagerly walk down the long hallway.

Sara is led by two officer down the same hallway, her hands cuffed behind her back. She cranes her neck to get a good look at me. Her icy cold glare is barely visible through the bloody voids that occupy the space where her eyes should be.

The blood is the imprint Sara collected after murdering Rachel Thatcher. Rachel was killed the same way Maria was. Sara slit her throat and buried her in the walls.

My parents are perched on the couch when I get home, clearly wanting to speak to me. My mother is nervously cradling a cup of coffee in her hands, her eyes revealing the uneasiness she feels inside. My father practically jumps up at the sound of my arrival, but instead, he motions for me to sit down.

"What's with the intervention?" my attempt to lighten the mood falls tragically short.

"You know we only want what's best for you," my mother shakily sets the mug on the coffee table. She turns to face me.

"Violet, you have to quit this team of yours. It's not safe," my father doesn't even try to break the news gently.

"Why?" I try to keep my voice steady, but they catch in my throat.

"Sweetie, you almost died. Besides, I think it'll do you good to just live a normal life," My mom softly places her hand on my knee, trying to reassure me.

"Don't you get it?" I scream as I abruptly stand to face them. "I'm not normal. I will _never_ be normal. Ignoring my ability won't make it go away!"

"Well, as long as you live here, you won't be on the team anymore," my father's gruff voice fills my ears. I know that nothing I can say will change his mind. Tears run down my face. I run up to my room.

"Violet, wait," my mom calls out. She stands at the foot of the staircase.

"Just leave me alone!" my door slams as I sink into my bed.

**Hi everyone! Thanks for reading. I hope you like the first chapter. This is the sequel to my story, ****_The Ballad of the Dead_****. You should read that first. You should read my other stories. They are ****_Playing With Fire, The Bottom of the Well, and The Ballad of the Dead_****. Beckett and Castle will come in if Chapter Four. I don't own ****_Castle _****or ****_The Body Finder _****series. :(**

**Please write a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: You Swear to Listen

My phone rings, the screen lighting up the darkness of my room. I compose myself before answering.

"Hey," Rafe's voice fills my ears. The sound of his voice lifts my mood, but not significantly.

"I have to quit the team," I desperately try to keep my voice steady and keep the tears away.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," his voice drops. "There is no team anymore." Rafe sounds disappointed.

"What happened?" I promptly sit up in my bed, eagerly awaiting his answer.

"I don't know. I was told that the FBI deemed the program 'unsafe' after your kidnapping, but I think they're full of crap," Rafe recites the information into the phone.

"I think they're hiding something," I pull my hair behind my ear.

"Something weird is going on here, Violet," Rafe whispers. There, in the flowers on my windowsill, sits a small black object. I cautiously walk over. My stomach drops when I recognize the object.

"It was nice talking to you. Bye," I hang the phone up, careful not to raise suspicion. I snap a picture of the microphone and send it to Rafe, along with the message: _Someone's listening_

Rafe responds with: _4657 Fremont Street Meet me here tomorrow at noon _

I decide to leave the bug on, so whoever's listening won't know I'm on to them. I replay everything I've said in here for the past couple of weeks. So far, nothing incriminating comes to mind.

I open the window and let the cool night air fill my lungs. A dark figure casually strolls toward my house. A dark overcoat and a mask obscure most of his features. Vivid green eyes sparkle at me. They are bright, too bright. The neon, glowing irises must be an imprint. I don't know why, but I feel like he might be someone to remember. The camera app on my phone is still on, so I zoom in and press the capture button.

He stops and stares at me. His hand slowly reaches into the inside pocket of his coat, and he pulls out something. _What is that?_ I realize that he is holding a gun, and I'm on the wrong end of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: You're Pulling the Trigger all Wrong

The delicate rays of sunlight glistening through my window rouse me from my sleep. I can't remember if the man last night was a dream... or if someone really did try to kill me last night. To my surprise, I wake up on my bedroom floor, my phone still in my hand. I rub my eyes and stand up.

The small, round bullet hole in my wall and the picture of the gunman on my phone confirm the reality of the incident. I know I can't tell my parents They already have a high-tech security system in place. Who knows what they'll do if they find out I was almost shot. _I'll never be able to go anywhere without a car with bulletproof windows and a security detail._

I hang the picture that was once by my window on the wall, temporarily hiding the bullet hole. I trudge down to the kitchen and see my mom already waiting for me.

"Morning," my mom sips a cup of coffee, leaning over the counter. I pour myself a cup. I worry that she will ask about last night. _It must have made a loud noise. Unless he used a silencer. _The warm liquid burns my mouth as I take a sip.

"How'd you sleep?" she asks, nearly making me spit out my coffee. _Busted._

"Fine," I say, hoping she doesn't know.

"Good," she smiles. I breathe a sigh of relief, realizing that my secret is safe. I flop down on the couch in the basement and click on the TV. I have two hours before I need to meet Rafe.

The hours mercilessly drag by. I print out directions to the address Rafe gave me. I climb into my car and drive off.

Rafe stands in the driveway of a small house in a rundown neighborhood. His hands are crammed in the pockets of his leather jacket. His motorcycle is parked right in front of the house.

"Whose house is this?" I glance at the sun, which is beating down on me.

"James Nua," Rafe drapes his arm over my shoulders. We stroll up to the front door and knock. The door only opens wide enough for James's eyes to peek out at us.

"It's just you," James sighs, inviting us in. The door is frantically closed behind us.

"How are you?" Rafe takes in the rundown environment. Then, he pulls out his phone and inspects the one story home, his phone hovering over every surface. He stops at the wall. Rafe pulls out a knife.

"I'm, um, fine, I guess," James seems surprised by the question. He is jumpy, flinching at every noise or movement. Dark bags surround his eyes. As soon as James spoke, Rafe sliced the wall He peels back a thin layer of wallpaper. A small microphone is attached to the wall. Someone's bugged James too.

Rafe takes out a notepad and writes a question on it. "Well, we just came to return this. It was nice seeing you," Rafe shows him the notepad. I take loud steps and open the door. I close it but do not leave. Rafe gives the paper to James.

_Has anyone been following you?_

James gives a quick nod. I pull out my phone and show him the picture I took of the man I saw. He nods and points at the man, recognizing his stalker. In a flash, James turns around and looks out the open window. He is holding a gun. With shaky hands, he points it out the window.

"It's him," James pulls the trigger. I snap a picture, hoping to capture the man. Only after I turn around, do I notice that something is terribly wrong.

James lies on the floor, motionless. Blood pours from a wound in his shoulder. Acting on impulse, I rip the curtain and use the piece as a bandage. Rafe is on the floor, performing CPR, trying to wake James up. _He isn't dead. I know he isn't dead._

I call 911 and ask for an ambulance.

"Paramedics are on their way," I say to Rafe, hoping they will be here soon. James has stopped bleeding, but he is barely hanging on to his consciousness.

**Thanks for reading! I hope you like this chapter. I'll try to post new chapters every Friday. Please check out my newest story, called _The Walls That Bleed. _It's a _Supernatural _fanfic.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Fooled Me once with your Eyes

Kate Beckett leans over the mountains of paperwork sitting on her desk. She can already feel the stress headache beginning. This is -and always has been- her least favorite part of a case. Her pen slowly dances across the paper, filling in information she has seen so many times that she could probably recite it in her sleep.

Castle isn't much help when it comes to this. He is sitting next to her, flicking a paper football. Despite how useful his unorthodox methods and theories can be when it comes to catching killers, most of the time, he is a distraction. Kate can tell by looking in his eyes that he is bored.

The precinct seems as normal as ever. The sounds of echoing footsteps and phones ringing fill the air, as they do nearly every day. Officers lead handcuffed people through the halls. Seeing them brings back memories. What Kate wouldn't give to be walking into the interrogation room now. That has to be her favorite part. Sitting across from a suspect and getting inside their head sends adrenaline rushing through her blood. It's exciting.

The phone rings, but Ryan picks it up before Kate can. She sighs. She would do _anything_ to get away from the papers, even if it is for only a moment. Almost immediately after picking up the phone, Ryan hands it to Kate, mouthing "It's for you".

"Detective Kate Beckett," she brings the phone to her ear, absent-mindedly twirling the cord around her fingers.

"It's Rafe; something's happened," Rafe Priest anxiously breathes into the phone. Kate and his aunt have been friends ever since high school, and Kate met Rafe several times when he was little. They haven't seen each other in a while. Kate loves her job, but she sometimes regrets the immense amount of time it requires. She has recently heard about Sara and is wondering how the sweet little girl she once knew could turn into a murderer.

"Are you okay? Where are you?" Kate leans over the desk, resting her elbows on its surface in preparation to write any information given to her. Castle notices the worry in her voice. He eagerly awaits an explanation.

"_I'm_ fine," Rafe says. He gives Kate and address. She scribbles it down on a post-it note.

"I'll be right there," Kate hangs up the phone and grabs her jacket off her chair, sending it spinning as she rushes out the door.

"Murder?" Castle follows her, a little too excitedly. Finally some excitement. Kate rolls her eyes.

Beckett, Castle, Ryan, and Esposito climb into the car and drive off. Beckett slowly approaches the house, her gun in front of her. As she bursts in, she sees Rafe and a girl about his age stand around a body. Rafe has blood smeared on his clothes and hands. The girl has a few drops on her shirt.

A hug pool of blood surrounds them, but the man in the center is still breathing, although each breath is shallower that the last. A gun is laying on the floor not far from the man's hand. _Did he shoot himself?_

But what stands out more than anything, is Rafe's eyes. His blue irises sparkle in the low light. Beckett sees fear in those eyes. She has seen those eyes somewhere, but she can't seem to figure out where.

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this chapter. Write a review, and let me know what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Leaving Now Would Be a Good Idea

The door is thrown open, and four people walk inside. A woman with short, brown hair leads the group inside, her gun trained on us. Three men follow her inside. All but one of them have guns. The man with short, dark hair wears a bulletproof vest like the others, but "WRITER" is inscribed on his, instead of "POLICE".

"What happened?" the woman asks, lowering her weapon. She takes in every inch of the room.

"Somebody rigged his gun to fire out of the wrong end," Rafe remains on his knees, at James's side.

An ambulance rolls up to the house. It's surprising that I even saw it. The sirens are turned off. The woman follows my gaze and stares out the window. Her mouth falls open in shock. "Those aren't paramedics," she says, watching the men climb out of the ambulance.

"There's a van out back. Climb out the window, and you'll see it. I'll distract them," Rafe walks to the door.

"What are you waiting for?" I open the window. Two officers pick James up and carry him over. We pile into the van. I make sure to close the window before leaving.

Rafe bolts outside. He shoves his hands in his pockets to hide the blood. "He got shot. The guy's still inside. He's completely insane!" Rafe tells the fake paramedics. This provides a momentary distraction. The van is able to drive away, unnoticed. When Rafe sees us, he hops on his motorcycle and speeds off behind us.

We arrive at a large building. Rafe opens the back door of the van and helps me carry James inside. The officers form a circle around us, trying not to draw too much attention to us. We duck into the nearest room and shut the blinds, providing us with solitude.

"Alright, I wanna know what happened, and I wanna know now," the woman's commanding voice draws our attention to her. _Why should I tell her? I don't even know her name._

"I don't even know who you are," I point out. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"I'm Detective Kate Beckett," she introduces herself. "This is Detective Esposito," she points to a Hispanic man. He has a dark buzz cut and looks to be very athletic. "This is Detective Ryan," she points to the man next to her.

"And this is Richard Castle," Kate points to the man who doesn't seem to be an officer. He says nothing. He only stares at Rafe. I can tell he knows him from somewhere, but is trying to match his name with his face.

"I'm Violet Ambrose," I shake Beckett's hand, "and I assume you already know Rafe." At the sound of Rafe's name, Castle's expression changes. He recognizes him. Rafe doesn't seem to know Castle, though.

"What happened?" Kate asks.

"He's being followed," Rafe's voice drops to nearly a whisper.

"Who's following him?" Becket questions.

"Him," I show her the picture.

"Who is this," Beckett asks. Rafe and I both shrug.

"He's got a gun," Ryan points at the weapon in the picture.

"If we can find a bullet, we might be able to find him," Rafe says.

"There's one in my wall," I say, earning a few quizzical glances.

"Wait," Detective Beckett stops us. "How do you know him?"

"Violet and I were part of a team that worked murder and kidnapping cases for the FBI," Rafe explains. "My sister murdered two women. One of them was his wife."

The room grows silent. Expressions of concern and shock are exchanged among the officers. "How do you know he is being followed?" Esposito breaks the long silence.

"I found a bug in his wall," Rafe says.

"That's nearly impossible to find," Beckett sits down on a couch. We sit across from her. I can tell that she doesn't believe Rafe.

"Believe it or not, there's an app for that," Rafe pulls out his phone.

"Really? Let me see that," Castle's eyes light up.

"Castle," Beckett scolds. He returns to his spot next to Beckett.

"If this guy is as dangerous as you say, we should probably get the bullet sooner rather than later," Ryan says.

"Could we really find out who this guy is just by finding a bullet?" Castle challenges.

"Maybe," Rafe responds.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Castle scoffs.

"You have your methods, and I have mine," Rafe leads us out the door.

"What are we going to do with James?" I ask. We all turn our heads toward James, who is sprawled out on the second couch.

"He needs to go to a hospital," Beckett answers.

"If we take him to a hospital, he'll be dead. This guy is a pro," I contradict.

"If he stays here, he'll be dead," Beckett argues. Ryan and Esposito agree to take James to a small hospital where they will be watching over him for as long as he's there. Beckett, Castle, and Rafe accompany me to my house. Luckily, my parents aren't home. This might be hard to explain.

I tell everyone about the bug before we enter my room. Becket removes the bullet from my wall with a knife. Rafe holds it, feeling it with both of his hands. We walk out of the room, making only a minimal amount of noise.

"The four of us and James need to leave. He knows where we are, and he will find us. We need to leave in the morning," Rafe sighs, shoving the bullet into his pocket. He looks at Detective Beckett, waiting for a response.

"How do you know that?" Kate asks, clearly not believing him.

"It's a long story," Rafe says, being deliberately withholding.

"Everyone can stay at my apartment, and we can leave in the morning. Do you know what he's driving?" Castle says.

"A black SUV. There's a diamond pendant hanging from the mirror inside," Rafe answers.

"Castle, you can't be serious," Beckett scoffs at his offer.

"Kate, can I talk to you alone?" Castle glances at us, and then down the hallway.

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this chapter. I promise it will get _much_ more interesting in the next two chapters. Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Seven: Familiar Faces

"What are you doing here?" Violet asks Krystal, who was raising her arm to knock when she opened the door. Her face is filled with surprise at Violet's exasperation. Krystal has never seen her in a hurry like this before.

"Just thought I'd stop by," Krystal cranes her neck around Violet when she notices the three other people behind me. "Who are they?" She points at Beckett and Castle, raising her eyebrows.

"I actually have to be somewhere," Violet says, hoping Krystal will buy the lame excuse she offers.

"You promised you would take me with you next time," Krystal flatly states. She wants to be a part of whatever crazy adventure Rafe and Violet have decided to embark on this time. She missed out on the last one. Violet remembers the promise she made to Krystal after Sara Priest was arrested.

"Fine," Violet sighs. "We'll explain on the way." We rush out to Krystal's van, much to Violet's dispute, but, unfortunately, Violet's car is too small to fit six people. Beckett sits up front with Krystal, giving her directions to Rafe's house.

Once the group has packed, they will get James and find a place to hide. Castle, Rafe, and Violet sit in the back, which has no seats. It is all they can do to keep themselves from sliding uncontrollably around the back of the van. Violet never thought she would long for the little protection that the flimsy seatbelts offer her. Beckett explains the entire ordeal to Krystal while Rafe packs his bag.

"How do you know Krystal?" Castle asks, breaking the comfortable silence.

"She was on the team with me and Rafe," Violet says, not bothering to elaborate on the details of the team. She is trying to keep the details of their abilities a secret for as long as she can. Castle nods. Rafe returns to the van and jumps in the back, a backpack slung over his shoulder.

After everyone has packed, the van pulls up to a hospital. It is small and out-of-the-way, a perfect place for hiding James. Beckett and Castle walk out, instructing Rafe, Krystal, and Violet to stay put.

Beckett walks into the building, acting as nonchalant as possible. Castle follows at her heels. They approach a desk.

"We're here to see James Nua," Beckett says to the woman at the computer, who doesn't look too happy.

"Sorry, I was instructed not to let anyone in," the woman replies. Beckett is pleased. James would be kept safe here.

"I'm not anyone," Beckett holds her badge out to the woman, who inspects every inch of it before pointing to the first room in the hallway. They quietly open the door. Ryan and Esposito guard James's bed.

"I'm here to discharge James," Beckett says.

"Where are you going?" Ryan asks.

"It's a long story, and I don't have the time to tell it right now. I need you guys to stay here and help with this case. We need to find the guy who tried to kill James before he finds us," Beckett explains, hoping they will trust her.

"He still has a bullet in his shoulder," Esposito says, looking at the bandages on James's torso.

"They haven't been able to get him into surgery yet," Ryan informs Beckett and Castle. Beckett pauses for a moment, weighing their options. She knows she can't take James with them.

"Alright, he has to stay. When he gets out, I want him in a safe place with a full security detail on him until I say it's safe," Beckett instructs. Ryan and Esposito nod. Castle follows her out to the van, with a promise to keep the two detectives posted.

"Where's James?" Rafe asks.

"He can't leave. They haven't taken the bullet out yet," Beckett sighs.

{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}

Rafe insists on stopping at the nearest Walmart before going to Castle's house. He rushes Violet and Krystal inside. He grabs a bottle of hair dye and tosses it to Violet.

"Why?" Violet asks, trying to imagine herself dying her hair.

"You're this guy's main target. So you can't look like you," Rafe explains leading her and Krystal to the bathroom door. Violet and Krystal walk inside, locking the door behind them. Violet bends over the sink and massages the dye into her hair, making sure to completely cover it. Fifteen minutes later, she washes the color out and looks in the mirror.

"Oh my God," Krystal says, shocked at her reflection. Violet's hair is now a vivid red, but not a natural red. It looks like her hair is on fire.

"Remind me never to let Rafe pick my hair color ever again," Violet says, tossing the empty bottle away. Shock lines Rafe's face when Violet emerges.

"Not a word," Violet orders. The three of them walk back to the van in silence. They give a brief explanation to Beckett and Castle when they get inside.

Soon, they arrive at a large apartment building in a rich neighborhood. Everyone climbs out of the car and carry their things inside. Rafe has volunteered to park the car.

Inside, a girl about Violet's age rests on the couch, buried in a book. She doesn't notice the group's entrance until the door is shut. Castle introduces Krystal and Violet to his daughter, Alexis. She has her father's deep blue eyes. They mix perfectly with her red hair that cascades a few inches past her shoulders. Those eyes seem all to familiar to Violet.

The door clicks open, and Rafe walks in.

"Who's he?" Alexis points to Rafe, who is still taking in the lavish surroundings.

"This is Rafe Priest," Castle rests his hand firmly on Rafe's shoulder. "He's your brother."

**Thanks for reading! I feel kind of bad for leaving you on a cliffhanger like this, but I'll get over it. I am going to write this story in third person from now on. Please write a review! And, if you haven't already, read _The Ballad of the Dead. _ This story is the sequel to that one.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Familiar Faces

"What are you doing here?" Violet asks Krystal, who was raising her arm to knock when she opened the door. Her face is filled with surprise at Violet's exasperation. Krystal has never seen her in a hurry like this before.

"Just thought I'd stop by," Krystal cranes her neck around Violet when she notices the three other people behind me. "Who are they?" She points at Beckett and Castle, raising her eyebrows.

"I actually have to be somewhere," Violet says, hoping Krystal will buy the lame excuse she offers.

"You promised you would take me with you next time," Krystal flatly states. She wants to be a part of whatever crazy adventure Rafe and Violet have decided to embark on this time. She missed out on the last one. Violet remembers the promise she made to Krystal after Sara Priest was arrested.

"Fine," Violet sighs. "We'll explain on the way." We rush out to Krystal's van, much to Violet's dispute, but, unfortunately, Violet's car is too small to fit six people. Beckett sits up front with Krystal, giving her directions to Rafe's house.

Once the group has packed, they will get James and find a place to hide. Castle, Rafe, and Violet sit in the back, which has no seats. It is all they can do to keep themselves from sliding uncontrollably around the back of the van. Violet never thought she would long for the little protection that the flimsy seatbelts offer her. Beckett explains the entire ordeal to Krystal while Rafe packs his bag.

"How do you know Krystal?" Castle asks, breaking the comfortable silence.

"She was on the team with me and Rafe," Violet says, not bothering to elaborate on the details of the team. She is trying to keep the details of their abilities a secret for as long as she can. Castle nods. Rafe returns to the van and jumps in the back, a backpack slung over his shoulder.

After everyone has packed, the van pulls up to a hospital. It is small and out-of-the-way, a perfect place for hiding James. Beckett and Castle walk out, instructing Rafe, Krystal, and Violet to stay put.

Beckett walks into the building, acting as nonchalant as possible. Castle follows at her heels. They approach a desk.

"We're here to see James Nua," Beckett says to the woman at the computer, who doesn't look too happy.

"Sorry, I was instructed not to let anyone in," the woman replies. Beckett is pleased. James would be kept safe here.

"I'm not anyone," Beckett holds her badge out to the woman, who inspects every inch of it before pointing to the first room in the hallway. They quietly open the door. Ryan and Esposito guard James's bed.

"I'm here to discharge James," Beckett says.

"Where are you going?" Ryan asks.

"It's a long story, and I don't have the time to tell it right now. I need you guys to stay here and help with this case. We need to find the guy who tried to kill James before he finds us," Beckett explains, hoping they will trust her.

"He still has a bullet in his shoulder," Esposito says, looking at the bandages on James's torso.

"They haven't been able to get him into surgery yet," Ryan informs Beckett and Castle. Beckett pauses for a moment, weighing their options. She knows she can't take James with them.

"Alright, he has to stay. When he gets out, I want him in a safe place with a full security detail on him until I say it's safe," Beckett instructs. Ryan and Esposito nod. Castle follows her out to the van, with a promise to keep the two detectives posted.

"Where's James?" Rafe asks.

"He can't leave. They haven't taken the bullet out yet," Beckett sighs.

{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}

Rafe insists on stopping at the nearest Walmart before going to Castle's house. He rushes Violet and Krystal inside. He grabs a bottle of hair dye and tosses it to Violet.

"Why?" Violet asks, trying to imagine herself dying her hair.

"You're this guy's main target. So you can't look like you," Rafe explains leading her and Krystal to the bathroom door. Violet and Krystal walk inside, locking the door behind them. Violet bends over the sink and massages the dye into her hair, making sure to completely cover it. Fifteen minutes later, she washes the color out and looks in the mirror.

"Oh my God," Krystal says, shocked at her reflection. Violet's hair is now a vivid red, but not a natural red. It looks like her hair is on fire.

"Remind me never to let Rafe pick my hair color ever again," Violet says, tossing the empty bottle away. Shock lines Rafe's face when Violet emerges.

"Not a word," Violet orders. The three of them walk back to the van in silence. They give a brief explanation to Beckett and Castle when they get inside.

Soon, they arrive at a large apartment building in a rich neighborhood. Everyone climbs out of the car and carry their things inside. Rafe has volunteered to park the car.

Inside, a girl about Violet's age rests on the couch, buried in a book. She doesn't notice the group's entrance until the door is shut. Castle introduces Krystal and Violet to his daughter, Alexis. She has her father's deep blue eyes. They mix perfectly with her red hair that cascades a few inches past her shoulders. Those eyes seem all to familiar to Violet.

The door clicks open, and Rafe walks in.

"Who's he?" Alexis points to Rafe, who is still taking in the lavish surroundings.

"This is Rafe Priest," Castle rests his hand firmly on Rafe's shoulder. "He's your brother."

**Thanks for reading! I feel kind of bad for leaving you on a cliffhanger like this, but I'll get over it. I am going to write this story in third person from now on. Please write a review! And, if you haven't already, read _The Ballad of the Dead. _ This story is the sequel to that one.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Little Did He Know

Violet's mouth falls open in shock. Alexis just sits there, dumbstruck. Her eyes search Rafe, wondering how the two of them could possibly be related. The resemblance between Rafe and Castle is definitely noticeable, but the only thing Rafe and Alexis share is their eyes.

"What?" Rafe asks, his voice dropping to a whisper. He has turned pale. Detective Beckett and Krystal look just as bewildered as Violet does. Rafe sinks down into the soft fabric of the couch, secretly hoping it will swallow him whole. Rafe has lived his entire life without a real father, and he turned out just fine.

"When your mom and I divorced, she never let me see you," Castle explains. He didn't even know Rafe existed until he was about five years old.

"So he's my brother?" Alexis asks, still trying to wrap her mind around the situation. She feels slightly betrayed. Alexis thought she knew her father. How did he hide this from her for so long? He's usually not very good at keeping secrets from her.

"Half brother," Castle responds.

Beckett can find no words to describe what she feels. She has known this man for almost five years, and she never guessed that he had another child, much less one who never knew who his father is. When Kate thinks about it, Rafe being Castle's son does explain why he had no trouble believing that Rafe knew what he was talking about when he said that someone was after them.

"You couldn't have sued for custody or something, or maybe visited once in a while?" Rafe asks, slightly angry.

"I wanted to. I really did, but I didn't even know how to be a father. I knew your mom would have given you a better life," Castle says. He remembers the day he found out about his son. He was raising Alexis all by himself, and he had no idea how he would be able to raise two kids. Nonetheless, giving Rafe up was the hardest decision of his life.

"My life sucked. I had no friends because everyone thought I was some kind of freak. My stepfather was a jerk. My mom was hardly ever around, and nobody gave a damn about me. Oh, and my sister turned out to be a murderer, who tried to kill me and my girlfriend. You're right, my life would have been awful with you," Rafe says. All his life, he had learned to lock it all away. But now all those memories wash over him, flooding him with so many different emotions all merging together into some form of sadness that he can't tell one apart from the next. So he deals with them the way he always has: silence.

Violet says nothing. She knows Rafe childhood wasn't exactly perfect, but he never wanted to talk about it. So Violet didn't ask. It's been sort of an unspoken agreement between them. But when Rafe goes quiet, she knows he's upset.

Alexis doesn't know what to make of this. She always thought her childhood was great. Almost every memory she has of it is filled with happiness and laughter. It's strange to think about growing up like that, especially when he could have grown up the same way Alexis did.

Krystal stands in stunned silence, along with the rest of the room. She worked with Rafe for a few years, and he never opened up like this. In fact, when she briefly helped him and Violet in the team's last case was the most she's ever heard him speak.

Detective Beckett knows all too well what it's like to have that kind of life. Being a police officer, she's seen kids who grew up like that -sometimes much worse. Almost all of them didn't turn out nearly as well as Rafe has. Unfortunately, most of them end up with quite the criminal record.

"I'm sorry." Those words are all Richard Castle can think to say at the moment. Given his profession, he is shocked to find himself at a loss for words. Castle remembers the day he decided to give Rafe to his mother. If he knew that is what would have happened to him, Castle's decision would have been different.

All of them sit in silence for the longest time. The sun slips below the horizon, casting the world into darkness.

"Why don't we all get some sleep," Beckett eventually suggests. Everyone agrees. Sleep would be a very good thing right now.

Krystal and Alexis ascend the staircase, Alexis taking her room and Krystal taking the guest bedroom. Rafe and Violet are given blankets and pillows. Rafe stays on the couch and Violet sinks into a soft, leather chair. Beckett disappears behind Castle down a long hallway.

Even though there is no light, Violet can see Rafe's eyes peering through the darkness. She walks over and positions herself next to him, entwining her fingers with his. "Are you okay?" Violet's whisper cuts like knives through the darkness.

"Yeah," Rafe nods. It's not a lie -at least not a complete one. While, he's still a little upset, he's pretty much gotten over the initial shock of the whole thing. He'll be fine. "It's weird. Well, now I know why he had no problem believing me from the start."

"Yeah," Violet agrees. They sit in a comfortable silence until Violet returns to the chair. She pulls the blanket up to her chin and lets her eyes close.

* * *

The door silently opens, and a man walks inside. He smiles at the scene before him. This is too easy.

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: One Step Ahead

The man stands over Violet and Rafe, a wide smile finding its way onto his face. He just can't help the pure excitement he feels. The anticipation courses through his veins, making his heart race in his chest. He likes the way this feels. It makes him feel... alive. It's as though every one of his senses in hyper-drive, making him aware of every last aspect of his environment, from the pattern of breaths they take to the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves outside.

Rafe is sprawled out on his stomach with a sheet covering most of his body. His arm hangs over the couch, fingertips brushing the carpet. He takes deep, steady breaths.

Violet has her legs curled up near her chest so she can fit into the chair. A blanket is pulled up to her chin.

He can't believe that this is what they call 'hiding'. They're right out in the open. The man pulls out a syringe from his jacket pocket and holds it out in front of his eyes. The pale light from the moon illuminates the clear liquid. He injects the drugs into both Rafe and Violet's forearms. Immediately, their breaths fall into a slower and deeper pattern.

The man stealthily creeps up the stairs and makes his way to the guest bedroom. The door is slightly ajar. Inside, Krystal sleeps peacefully on a bed that has one side pressed against the wall. He pulls out another syringe and pierces her vein with the needle. Once he has administered the sedative, he lifts Krystal into his arms and carries her down the stairs.

He passes Alexis's room. For a very brief moment, the man considers taking her along with the others, but he doesn't need her. He has enough to make his movie.

* * *

Kate Beckett trudges into the kitchen, wiping away the remnants of sleep from her eyes. She pours herself a cup of coffee. The invigorating smell fills her nostrils as she brings the mug to her lips. The hot liquid warms her throat as Kate takes a tentative sip, making sure it doesn't burn.

Bright sunlight floods into the apartment from the large windows that overlook the city. Something feels... off. But what? Beckett senses nothing out of the ordinary in the empty room.

Wait. That's it. The room isn't supposed to be empty. Where are Rafe and Violet? Kate bolts over to the couch to look for anything that might say where they went/ There's nothing there. When she turns toward the chair, Beckett spots something shining in the sunlight. She picks it up and holds it up to the light. It's a needle.

How could someone have gotten in without anyone noticing? It just doesn't make sense.

Castle emerges from the hallway and joins Beckett in the living room. He starts to worry when he sees Kate's wide eyes. She is holding something in her hand. A needle? Castle scans the room for any sign of Rafe and Violet, but he finds nothing, which only plays right into his already-increasing fear that they might be gone.

"They're gone," Kate confirms Castle's suspicions.

**Thanks for reading. I hope you liked this chapter. I know this one's really short. I've been busy this week, and I will try to make the next chapter longer. Please leave a review!**


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